This invention relates generally to the field of cosmetics and pharmacology and more particularly to the use of at least one extract of a plant belonging to the genus Lannea, preferably Lannea coromandelica or Lannea grandis, in cosmetic or dermopharmaceutical preparations.
Lannea coromandelica (Houtt.) Merr. is a tree originating from the Anacardiaceae family which is encountered mainly in India and in various Asiatic countries.
In the books of traditional Indian medicine, it is sometimes confused with Lannea grandis because, in many works, both have the same synonym Odina woodier roxb.
The bark is traditionally used in particular in the treatment of cuts, other wounds, bruises (sprains and strains) and diarrhoea, aqueous extracts of the bark also being used as an abortive.
The leaves like the bark are also used as curatives, particularly in the treatment of inflammation, arthritis, bruises and, generally, physical pain.
It is known that an ethanol extract of Lannea coromandelica leaves has a protective effect on the membrane of the red blood cells against hypotonic stress which has been taken as an indication of anti-inflammatory activity (cf. Gandhidasan R. et al., Fitoterapia, 62/1, 81-83, 1991).
In addition, an ethanol-containing extract of the bark, after intraperitoneal administration, has been shown to have quite considerable anti-inflammatory activity in doses dependent upon the particular type of inflammation, this extract having no pain-killing (analgesic) or antipyretic activity (cf. Singh S. and Singh G. B., Phytotherapy Research, 8/5, 311-313,1994).
By contrast, the inventors have found that, besides the therapeutic properties mentioned above, extracts obtained from various parts of the plant also have significant biological properties so that they may be directly used in cosmetic and dermopharmaceutical compositions or for the preparation thereof.
The effects and properties demonstrated so unexpectedly and surprisingly consist in antiradical-like, cytophotoprotective, tyrosinase- and melanogenesis (depigmenting)-inhibiting and antiprotease (antielastase, anticollagenase) effects.
Accordingly, the problem addressed by the present invention was in particular to use at least one extract of a plant belonging to the botanical genus Lannea, preferably Lannea coromandelica or Lannea grandis (synonym Odina woodier), as an active principle for the preparation of a cosmetic product for external use for the skin, the mucous membranes and/or the epithelial appendage (superficial body growth), the extract or extract mixture in question being usable on its own or together with at least one other active principle.